Choosing the Cancer Saint
by Gold Saint Mu
Summary: Saint Seiya: Lost Canvas. Hakurei and Sage discover that they are cancers, not geminis, and must decide who will be the Cancer Gold Saint.


**Choosing the Cancer Saint**

Hakurei and Sage were giddy with excitement when the Grand Pope summoned them to bestow upon them their Gold Cloth.

"Maybe we'll trade off every other day," Sage speculated and not for the first time. "I'd feel like I'm jinxing you if I only wore it when you were too badly hurt to go on."

Hakurei smirked. "I think I'll survive a little hardship." Sage was about to speak when they were interrupted by the Aquarius Gold Saint as they passed through his temple.

"Are you on your way to pick up your Gold Cloth?" he asked.

"Yes," Hakurei said with a bright smile. "It's been a long time in coming, hasn't it? I was starting to worry."

"Because of the greater responsibilities, Gold Saints are chosen by the Grand Pope rather than decided in a tournament," Aquarius said.

"We know," Sage said. "Usually a Gold Cloth is presented to the Saint in public."

"Or at least in front of the other Gold Saints." Hakurei shruged. "Maybe he's waiting for an auspicious day to hold the actual ceremony."

"Maybe. The two of you are young and hot-headed. I simply wanted to remind you to keep your cool no matter what happens." Aquarius let a little frost fill the air. The snowflakes were beautiful and welcomed after a muggy afternoon spent training. "My Master has rejected very well-qualified candidates in the past because he had believed they were too impulsive and would recklessly endanger others."

Hakurei and Sage looked at one another. Was it that bad? Did Aquarius know something they didn't?

"Thank you. We'll keep your advise in mind," Hakurei said. They bowed to the Gold Saint before continuing up the stairs of Sanctuary.

"Do you think...?" Sage's brow furrowed.

"No sense in worrying about that now," Hakurei said. "We'll find out soon enough."

They entered the throneroom, which seemed larger than before, and were painfully aware of the length of the red carpet. One step, two step, three step... They knelt before the Grand Pope.

"Grand Pope," they said in unison. The Pope nodded in response.

"Hakurei, Sage, you have undoubtedly been wondering why I have not made you Gold Saints even though you've long been qualified," the Pope said. It was admittedly a regular subject of conversation, not just between the brothers but among most of the trainees. "I've studied the stars again and again, and this leap year I have finally confirmed what I'd been suspecting for the last three years: you two are not Geminis." They looked up.

"What do you mean we're not Geminis?" Sage blurted out.

"As you know, cusps are born close to two zodiac times and are often influenced by both. Although you were born on June 19, the quarter day usually accounted in the leap day and the fact that Jamir is a quarter of a day ahead of Greece actually makes you brothers Cancers, not Geminis."

Hakurei and Sage looked at one another and then back to the Pope.

"But Grand Pope, if we're Cancers, then we can't..." Hakurei suddenly realized what the Pope was getting at.

"No, you can't be Gemini Saints," the Grand Pope confirmed

Even the older Saints had come to refer to them as the Gemini twins. At the moment, they were the only twins training in Sanctuary. They had trained so hard for this moment. They were lucky Aquarius had warned them or who knows how they would have reacted.

"Except for the Gemini Cloth, a Cloth cannot be shared between two living Saints. Hakurei, Sage, both of you possess a Cosmos strong enough to be a Gold Saint. Decide between yourselves who will be the Cancer Gold Saint. The other may choose from any of the available Cloths and receive this."

The Pope held up a sword and slid it out of its scabbard. Its blade was like light and sparkled as if its edge was lined with stars.

"This sword has been blessed by Athena, and she has given permission for one of you to wield it." The Pope sheathed the sword. "I expect you to have an answer by tomorrow."

"Yes, Grand Pope," Hakurei and Sage said. The Pope nodded to them and then retreated to his inner chambers.

The twins were too shocked to leave the Pope's throneroom. In fact, they weren't so sure they wanted to face the other Saints at the moment.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Hakurei finally suggested.

"No, it's not necessary," Sage said with a rueful smile. "You're the elder brother. You should have the Gold Cloth."

"Take it. I want that sword." Hakurei's eyes glimmered.

Sage gave him a withering look. "That's a pathetic reason to turn down a Gold Cloth, elder brother. You should be the Cancer Saint."

Hakurei folded his arms. "You're the weaker of the two of us. Therefore you need a stronger Cloth to protect you than I do. Now be a good little brother and obey your elder brother."

"Haha," Sage said mirthlessly. "Your reasoning sucks."

Hakurei ignited his Cosmos. "Then we fight. The winner gets to decide."

"Fine!" Sage charged his Cosmos as well. "Let's see if I can beat some sense into you!"

Hakurei lashed out with a series of powerful punches that distorted the air and struck Sage with incredible strength. Sage crossed his arms like Taurus to block then jumped into the air and launched several blasts of energy at his brother. Hakurei dodged out of the way and clashed with his brother midair, causing an explosion that shook the top of Sanctuary.

Sage landed and brought his arms into the air. They had never figured out why their Galaxian Explosions weren't as powerful as they should have been. They'd always thought perhaps they were doing it wrong. Now, with the new insight from the Pope, they knew it was because they weren't Geminis. Nevertheless, it was the most powerful attack in their arsenal.

"Oh? Don't you think I can muster that much strength as well?" Hakurei raised his arms and gathered the power to destroy galaxies. Of course, it wouldn't. It had only ever destroyed cliff faces and tickled the older Gold Saints. If they truly could destroy galaxies, then there would be a real problem.

"GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!" Just as their attacks were about to collide, a wall of ice appeared between them. Naturally, the Galaxian Explosions destroyed the ice, but their energies were dissipated.

"Hakurei! Sage! I told you to keep yourselves in control," Aquarius barked them. "The Grand Pope will not appreciate it if his throneroom is trashed and will be further unhappy to hear the two of you wanted to fight to decide a matter as grave as choosing the next Gold Saint. He might even decide you're both too headstrong and withhold it entirely."

"You knew," Sage said in an accusatory tone. "How long have you known? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I only found out yesterday."

"That explains why we didn't get our Gold Cloth for our birthday present," Hakurei said and made a face.

"Though I suppose you could argue today is our real birthday." Sage looked up at the sun and tried to guess what time it was at Jamir.

"I came here to facilitate this choosing of the Cancer Gold Saint," Aquarius said in his even tone. Didn't he ever loose his cool?

"There's no need," Sage said with a pout. "Hakurei is the elder brother. He should be the Cancer Saint."

"He's leaving the decision to me because I'm the elder twin, and if I were to choose, I would rather that he take the Gold Cloth," Hakurei said to their neutral party. "The Grand Pope said one of us would be the Cancer Saint and the other would receive Athena's sword. I'll be honest: I want that sword. It's been blessed by Athena herself."

"If you did not take up the Cancer Gold Cloth, then which one would you choose?"

"I don't know," Hakurei answered hesitantly.

"And you?" Aquarius asked Sage.

"I honestly thought we'd be the Gemini Saints," Sage said

"The Grand Pope will expect you to have an answer. It is no less important than choosing the Cancer Saint. Wanting the Sword of Athena is not reason enough," he said as he looked sternly at Hakurei. "The Pope understands that many of us are young and playful, but he does expect a certain amount of maturity when the situation calls for it, and this is definitely one such situation. He can just as easily withhold the Cancer Cloth entirely."

"Thank you for your advice," Hakurei said, properly chastised. "It seems we need to do a lot of thinking and talking." Sage nodded, agreeing with his elder brother.

"I hope I don't sound too critical," Aquarius said by way of apology as they walked down the steps of Sanctuary. "I look forward to having you two join our ranks."

"No, we understand." Hakurei sighed. "But we were hoping to become the Gemini Saints."

"The Holy War is fast approaching. If you two are not the Geminis we seek, then I worry that we will not find them in time. Training Saints of any level takes time—time that we don't have." They reached the Aquarius temple, where the older Saint bade them farewell.

"Probably means they'll be geniuses," Sage said grumpily when they were alone.

"Genius Geminis," Hakurei said playfully. "Sounds good actually. Maybe you'll like them more than you think."

"Haha. Not like that, thank you very much." Sage was still single. "Altar Silver Saint Sage."

"Pegasus Bronze Saint Hakurei," Hakurei countered.

"Pegasus?" Sage nearly spit out his wine. "But Pegasus is the Saint who has protected the Goddess Athena since mythical times."

"Exactly."

"That's a pretty good one, actually," Sage conceded. "I might have to be the Cancer Saint after all."

"Tomorrow, then."

Tomorrow seemed to arrive all too soon. This time, instead of being excited, Hakurei and Sage were nervous. The Gold Saints had been summoned to witness their appointments as Saints. One of them would be joining their ranks as the Gold Cancer Saint. The twins knelt before the throne.

"Many of us have expected Hakurei and Sage to become the next Gemini Saints," the Grand Pope began. "However, they are not Geminis and cannot receive the Gemini Gold Cloth. Their mastery of their Cosmos is equal to that of a Gold Saint, therefore one of them will be made the Cancer Gold Saint. Hakurei, Sage, have you decided which of you will be the Cancer Saint?"

"Yes, your Holiness," Hakurei and Sage said in unison.

"Then please share will us your decision," the Pope said.

"With your permission and Athena's blessing, I, Sage, will be the Cancer Gold Saint," Sage said.

"Very well," the Pope said and summoned the stone box containing the Cancer Cloth.

Sage stood. The box opened, and the golden crab came apart and reassembled itself upon Sage's body. He looked at himself in awe. He could feel the power of his Cosmos enhanced by the Gold Cloth. He knelt down again beside his brother.

"Hakurei, I'm sorry that you cannot be a Gold Saint. You would have been an excellent one. However, you may choose from any of the remaining Cloths." The Pope gestured at the boxes that had been assembled.

"I would like the Pegasus Cloth," Hakurei said.

"No." The Pope's firm tone startled everyone in the room. "The Pegasus Saint is the chosen of Athena, and I sense that you are not him. Choose another."

Hakurei had to think fast. As Aquarius said, the Pope expected an answer. Now that Sage was the Cancer Saint, they couldn't change their decision. He remembered Sage's choice.

"Then I would like to be the Altar Silver Saint," Hakurei said.

"Very well," the Pope said. Like before, the stone box containing the Cloth opened and the Cloth assembled itself upon his body. "Come forward, Altar Hakurei." Hakurei did as instructed. "In addition to your Altar Silver Cloth, I bestow upon you the Sword of Athena."

"Thank you, Grand Pope."

After the Pope had left them and the Gold Saints congratulated them, Sage said, "Is it all right?"

Hakurei smiled. "I wanted you to be the Cancer Saint." Hakurei stroked the sword blessed by Athena. "And although I could not be the Pegasus Saint, I got what I wanted."


End file.
